


Brave, Together

by Enchantable



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Comfort, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-17
Updated: 2013-08-17
Packaged: 2017-12-23 20:05:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,053
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/930563
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Enchantable/pseuds/Enchantable
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Max is a gift in more way than one</p>
            </blockquote>





	Brave, Together

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: A scared ten year old Chuck gets lost in the Shatterdome after being separated from his father. He runs into Aleksis who takes him back to Herc. Chuck thanks him, a week later, Aleksis gives Chuck a baby pug so he doesn't have to be scared anymore.
> 
> Also: For this prompt Aleksis is the boy Russian

Striker Eureka’s logo is Max.

 

If Chuck cared about those sorts of things he’d be pissed that people seem to think he got his assignment, saw the logo and then went out and bought a fucking dog. But it’s the other way around actually. Because within the shatterdome no-one thinks of the Hansen’s without thinking of Max, even though he is technically Chuck’s dog. The members of their crew argue over who gets to walk him or watch him n while they’re off fighting Kaiju. They are the pilots but Max is the soul.

 

Its fitting since Chuck knows he’s brave but the first time he ever truly feels it is with Max.

 

From the time he’s five until he’s sixteen, Chuck and his father willingly see each other twice a year. The shatterdome is no place for a kid, but then again no-where is these days. It is protected though and while the Jeager program gets underway the promise of protection is almost more valuable than that of monetary compensation. It isn’t like there’s really anywhere to spend money these days.

 

The kids have a dormitory of sorts, watched by a handful of people who aren’t suited to fighting. 

 

Most of the other kids are like him, they lost one parent and the other came to the shatter dome, lured in equal parts by protection and revenge. A handful of them are even pilot’s kids. But he’s different. Their parents come to see them and they go to see them. But not Chuck. He doesn’t want to see his father and his father doesn’t want to see him. 

 

They both blame themselves for Mina’s death. 

 

Chuck thinks with every fibre of his being that she could have saved herself she hadn’t been focused on saving him. Herc thinks if he had been a little faster, a little stronger he could have grabbed them both before the bombs started falling. Both men think the other blames them. Herc thinks Chuck deserves better, a stronger and a faster father. When he does that he’ll be a good enough father. Chuck just sees him as gone. 

On his birthday a Kaiju appears and his father is gone.

He waits for a bit in his father’s room, but he sees a flash of bright silk under his father’s pillow and has to leave before he tries to see if he can still smell his mother’s perfume. He wanders around, taking care to avoid anyone who might send him back. It isn’t long before he’s deeper into the shatterdome than he should be. Metal is more twisted, sparks seem to rain down and the tang of burning machinery settles a knot of panic in his stomach. 

It’s becoming like the day his mom died. Except instead of people everywhere running and screaming, there’s no one around. His throat tightens as he looks around, suddenly not caring if he gets caught. He just wants to go. His feet begin to pick up speed until he’s running, not sure if this is the right way or not. He just wants to get out of there. Sparks fall around him and he thinks he hears someone shouting, but if they catch him they will take him away and his mom will die all over again.

He’s so intent on running away he doesn’t watch where he’s going until he slams head first into something that feels as strong as a Jaeger.

He falls back, only to be caught and lifted up. His eyes widen as he’s faced with the sight of a frowning face. It isn’t a Jaeger, it’s a Jaeger pilot. His eyes widen as his mind immediately comes up with a name. Alexsis. He’s not a pilot, not fully, they’re still finishing his Jaeger. But he will be. The massive pilot looks at him silently and Chuck can only stare. He feels hot tears on his cheeks and fights against the weakness as he looks at Russian man. 

Alexsis says something in Russian and the tears come faster. He doesn’t know how to tell him that he’s lost and afraid and just wants to go to the only thing he has to call home. Alexsis gives away nothing as he adjusts his grip and begins to walk. He makes his way through the sparks and the burning metal and for the first time Cbuck can imagine what it feels like to be in a Jaeger. 

Alexsis carries him back to the children’s place, taking the back routes so he doesn’t have to be shown to everyone. He settles him in the bathroom so he can get himself under control. by the time Chuck comes out Alexsis is gone. His father is away for four days while they look at the damage of the prototype he pilots. Later Chuck learns his dad has outlived another copilot and hates him just a little more. 

Alexsis returns a week later but he isn’t alone.

The puppy is a mess of wrinkles and doesn’t seem to understand how his limbs work. Alexsis sets him down and the dog whines pathetically as he tries to scoot away. He looks at the dog and then up at Alexsis. The Russian bends down and scoops up the dog, pushing him into Chuck’s arms. Chjack has no choice but to grasp the puppy. He whines before licking his face. 

"Max," Alexsis says pointing at the puppy, "He is afraid too," he says looking at him seriously, "you will be brave together."

Max squirms in his arms and Chuck clumsily pets him. He looks over at the woman who smiles and nods, telling him its alright for him to keep the puppy. the shatter dome isn’t really a place for a dog, so Chuck thinks it will work out. He spends two days learning how to say thank you in Russian. When he does Alexsis is with a woman who laughs and tells him in a thick accent how good his Russian is. 

So they become a pair. 

And years later they become a family. 

It isn’t that he buys Max so he can have a part of Striker Eureka with him always. It’s the opposite. Striker Eureka’s logo is Max so he can always have his dog with him. So they can always be brave together.


End file.
